Out of Reach
by Jaye Reid
Summary: Communication, or the lack of it. **Warning** Season 4 spoilers.


Title: Out of Reach.  
  
By Jaye Reid  
  
Commenced: August 1, 2002  
Completed: August 3, 2002  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: ***SEASON 4 SPOILERS****  
  
Disclaimer: Owned by the brilliant Sorkin and WB. Not mine, never will be. I have no money, therefore am not worth suing. Borrowed for my own amusement.  
  
Category: Josh/Donna  
  
Summary: Communication and the lack of it.  
  
Archiving: "Boulevard of Misdirection"  
http://users.mcmedia.com.au/~jayereid/jldmmain.htm  
The National Library and Fanfiction.net  
  
Authors Notes: Okay... the spoilers for season 4 just begged to have something written about them!!! If you missed it before yes, I have based this on the reported spoilers for season 4. If you don't want to know, don't read.   
Thanks to Aim for her thoughts on this piece and Bridget for once again beta reading.  
Yet another stand alone from me.  
  
~*~  
  
"How could this happen? I mean how could they just... just *forget* us?" Josh blustered.  
  
"How could they not realize they couldn't hear your voice, more the point," shrugged Donna.  
  
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Josh replied turning sharply to her.  
  
"It means I've been stuck with you since five a.m. and I'm tired of hearing your voice Josh!" she exclaimed in frustration.  
  
"What I can't believe... what is *totally* out of my range of comprehension, is how you watched him leave and yet you didn't utter a word to stop him," Josh continued.  
  
"And I was supposed to know Bruno had left already because...? Perhaps if I wasn't spending so much time chasing up inane trivial things for *you* I might have noticed when Doug drove out, that we were left stranded here. He might have noticed we were still here if it hadn't been for *you* Mister "I'm-such-an-outdoorsman-I-want-to-check-out-some-piece-of-equipment-that's-interesting-or-rather-the-half-naked-underage-bimbo-operating-it."  
  
"Feel better now? And she wasn't half naked!"  
  
Humph!  
  
"She wasn't... if she *was* I gotta tell you, that's something I would have noticed."  
  
"Well the way you were leering... I hope you don't leer like that at women around Amy. I'm sure she'd get pretty pissed if you did."  
  
"What, pissed like you are right now?"  
  
"I'm not pissed, just merely pointing out a fact."  
  
"Yeah right."  
  
"There is absolutely no possible reason that I would be pissed about your leering at other women! Get over yourself Josh!"  
  
"There is nothing for me to get over and I do not leer!"  
  
"Oh for the love of... Would you two just get a room!" blustered Toby interrupting their rant and dumping his briefcase on the ground, throwing up a small puff of dust on his shoes.  
  
"What?" exclaimed Josh in an indignant falsetto, turning around to the Communications Director.  
  
"You heard. When we eventually get back to civilization... get a room, get it over and done with and then we can all have some damn peace and quiet!"  
  
Josh stood gobsmacked.  
  
His mouth opened to speak several times, but closed again without uttering a sound.  
  
"Well you know how to at least shut him up, Toby," Donna stated tiredly, lifting her fingers under her sunglasses to rub her eyes.  
  
"Well you're just as bad. Why don't you just tell..."  
  
"Toby..." warned Donna.  
  
"Tell what?" question Josh, finding his voice.  
  
"Nothing. Look, why don't we walk up to the road and try and get a lift back into town?" Donna suggested.  
  
"It's gotta be a couple of miles up to the road from here," stated Josh.  
  
"So?"  
  
"So Donna, you want to walk a couple of miles up to the road?"  
  
"Josh, do you have any idea how many miles I walk in the White House each day?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well... well neither do I, but it's a heck of a lot more than a couple of miles."  
  
"So when we get to the road, what do you suppose we do then?"  
  
"We can wait for Bruno or Doug to come back and get us, or they might send someone to come and get us, or we could try and get a lift into town."  
  
"What... hitch a lift?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because... well because it's dangerous. Didn't you're mother ever tell you not to accept lifts from strangers?"  
  
"For goodness sakes Josh. We wouldn't hitch a lift with just any psycho."  
  
"No, it's the psychotic wanting the ride in the first place," added Toby looking at Josh.  
  
"Well aren't you just the chipper one today," joked Josh sarcastically.  
  
"You do realize that it's already a quarter to three and our flight was three o'clock? Even if we were picked up now, we'd still miss the flight," offered Toby.  
  
"So you're saying?" question Josh.  
  
"So I'm saying, there's not another flight until morning," Toby replied, picking up his bag and dusting it off.  
  
"Bruno and Doug won't wait for us?" questioned Donna.  
  
"Highly unlikely," Toby added.  
  
"Yeah, Bruno wanted to discuss some finer details with Leo tonight, and then he has to be in Dallas for a meeting with Hoynes' people tomorrow morning. He was going to be cutting it fine anyway," Josh explained.  
  
"Leo's gonna be pissed," stated Toby.  
  
"Leo? I was supposed to be meeting Amy for dinner with some guys she wants to get a job with. I'm going to be so deep in the shit for not being there," Josh complained, raking his fingers through his hair.  
  
"What, she needs you to help make a good impression with them?" Toby asked with an air of incredulously.  
  
"She'd have more luck without him there," smirked Donna to Toby.  
  
"Damn, I'll just have to call her and try to explain," Josh replied, pretending to ignore their comments and tones as he dug into his pocket for his cell phone.  
  
"Yes Josh. Calling Amy is exactly what you should do. Because, you know, our cell phones have no signal to phone into town and get someone to come and get us, but there's no reason why it won't suddenly get signal for you to call Amy back in DC," deadpanned Toby.  
  
Josh looked from Toby to Donna and quietly clicked his phone closed, dropping it back into his pocket.  
  
"Okay so we... hey, what's that noise?" Josh asked, turning back towards the main buildings.  
  
"Oh I don't know, sounds like a tractor to me," sassed Donna, feeling as if she was stating the obvious. "Maybe Daisy Duke has come to rescue you?"  
  
"Ha ha... you're so funny."  
  
"I'm an hysterically funny person, remember?" she replied with a shrug. "Oh poor you, it's not Daisy... it's Jed Clampett instead," Donna added as the tractor came into view.  
  
The farm worker on the tractor drove up beside them and idled the engine down. "Thought you folks had gone?"  
  
"No, we missed our ride. You wouldn't have any idea if there is a vehicle or someone to take us into town?" Toby asked.  
  
"Nup. Everyone 'cept me an' young Gertie have gone," he replied with a nod.  
  
"And she is?" asked Toby.  
  
"Workin' in the shed," he replied, pointing to the shed they had recently walked out of. "But she rides her bike from her folks place down the road."  
  
A smirk danced across Donna's face.  
  
"I swear Donna... if a sentence containing the words 'bike' and 'Gertie' come out of your mouth..." Josh muttered to her.  
  
She continued to smirk and bite her bottom lip.  
  
"There's no one else? We couldn't borrow a vehicle perhaps?" Toby continued, ignoring the 'Josh and Donna' show to negotiate himself.  
  
"Nup. Only got the tractor... the gearbox is outta the pickup gettin' fixed."  
  
"Looks like we're walking up to the road then," smiled Donna.  
  
"Well I can give ya'll a lift up to the road on me tractor," the old man offered. "She ain't allowed on the road, that's all."  
  
"Thank you," replied Donna brightly as she picked up her own carry bag and hoisted it onto the trailer behind the tractor before jumping on the spot and pushing herself up. She looked back at Toby and Josh still motionless. "Come on... you were the one whining about not wanting to walk. Get up here."  
  
"I feel like I've walked into a nonsensically bad episode of 'Green Acres'," muttered Toby as he tossed his briefcase and laptop bag onto the trailer.  
  
"You mean to tell me there was one that made sense?" questioned Josh, pushing his backpack onto the trailer as far as he could reach. He looked up at Donna. "How are we supposed to get up there?"  
  
"Um... hook your foot on the tire rim or the top of the tire and pull yourself up," she suggested as she looked over the side of the trailer.  
  
Josh put his foot on the rim and gave a couple of practice hops, before throwing his weight into it and scrambling onto the trailer.  
  
"Move along Josh unless you want me sitting on your knee," suggested Toby gruffly.  
  
"Yeah... yeah... I'm moving," he muttered as he slid and shimmied along the edge of the trailer, feet dangling over the side, towards Donna.  
  
"Ya'll ready back there?" the old man called as he idled the tractor back up. "Hang on... she's a bumpy ride."  
  
Without waiting for an acknowledgement from his passengers, the tractor jerked forward. Somehow they managed to stay on the trailer, as the tractor jerked and jolted through every pothole along the dusty track, but not without some nervous looks between Josh to Toby. Donna in direct contrast was happily enjoying the ride.  
  
*  
  
Donna smiled and waved as the old man on his tractor headed back down the track to the farm after depositing them at the main road.  
  
Josh shrugged his backpack onto his shoulder and looked back along the road. "Town is that way, right?"  
  
"Yes," replied Toby, dusting off his trousers. "We could start walking or just stand here and hope someone comes along."  
  
"Walking is fine by me," replied Donna.  
  
"Do we have to?" queried Josh, taking out his cell to check for service before sighing as he put it back in his pocket.  
  
"No better here," Toby nodded to him.  
  
"No."  
  
"I was watching on the ride up here from the farm," offered Donna. "I didn't see much traffic, so perhaps we could walk a little bit. It seems better than to just stand here."  
  
They walked for half an hour without any sign of a vehicle other than the distant rumble of an unseen tractor working in a field somewhere along the way.  
  
"You know, it would be easy to believe we were the only people on the planet," remarked Josh.  
  
"Not quite what you're used to," Donna smiled.  
  
"It's too quiet," he replied.  
  
"Yet I can hear your voice," Toby added.  
  
"You know Toby, it's... hey..." Josh turned around and looked behind them. A bus was approaching from behind them. "Yes! Our ticket back to civilization!"  
  
"So much for his game of Gilligan's Island," snorted Donna.  
  
They waved their arms in the air and were thankful when the bus ground to a stop rather than continuing past them. A couple of dozen faces pressed against the windows as the door near the driver opened.  
  
"You folks okay?"  
  
"We were left behind from our group," explained Donna. "Would you be able to give us a lift into town?"  
  
"Not supposed to pick people up from the side of the road, but I figure two guys in suits and a pretty lady can't be all that dangerous," he smiled at Donna.   
  
"Thank you," she beamed. "Come on guys, let's go."  
  
They clambered onto the bus, greeted by the stares of twenty or so teenagers. The only adult amongst the group, other than the driver approached them. "You look a little out of place around here," he offered. "Bernie Wheeler, I teach history at the local High School."  
  
"Donna Moss," she smiled and offered her hand as the bus lurched back onto the road. "This is Toby Zeigler and Josh Lyman," she added as she turned to her companions. They shook hands as some of the students moved further down the bus to make room for them to sit.  
  
"We're just heading back from an excursion. Your... your car breakdown?"  
  
"No... we were visiting at some farm back there," offered Josh stretching out and glancing at the student staring at him in the seat beside him.  
  
"You're in sales then?" the teacher quizzed.  
  
"No, we work for the government," offered Toby.  
  
"Oh... what part? Department of Agriculture I suppose? You know, being out here..."  
  
"No. We work at the White House," replied Josh.  
  
"Yeah right," replied the teenage boy sitting next to Josh.  
  
"Excuse me?" asked Toby from across the aisle.  
  
"You don't work at the White House," the boy scoffed, his mates sitting in front of him snickered in agreement.  
  
"You'd know the President if you did," another stated.  
  
"We work at the White House and we work for the President. We meet with him regularly," replied Toby.  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Do too," added Josh.  
  
Donna rolled her eyes.  
  
"My Dad says all the politicians in Washington are old and fat and do nothing but waste the taxpayers money," stated another.  
  
"Well there's a vote the Republicans will get," snorted Toby.  
  
"Well at least they'll get one," added Josh.  
  
"We work at the White House, and really I am beyond caring whether you believe me or not," Toby sighed.  
  
"How old are you?" Josh quizzed of the Republican's son.  
  
"Sixteen."  
  
"So, you're all sixteen? Two more years until you get to vote?" he asked looking around.  
  
"Some of the kids are fifteen, some are... older, added the teacher. "You really work at the White House? What are you doing out here?"  
  
"Campaign stop, we had a meeting. Then one of those 'they thought we were with someone else' kind of situations occurred and somehow were left behind," Josh replied.  
  
"See, politicians are supposed to be smart," laughed one of the boys. "These guys aint."  
  
"Cameron I'll see you in detention after school thank you. I suggest if the rest of you don't wish to join him, you will turn and face the front and keep your comments to yourself," snapped the teacher.  
  
"I'm sorry about that," the teacher replied.  
  
"Kids are kids," replied Josh with a shrug.  
  
"Excuse me?" asked the girl sitting beside Toby, "But you really work at the White House?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What do you do there?" she asked inquisitively.  
  
"I'm the Director of Communication," he replied.  
  
"Then you're... um... your name starts with a 'Z'," she replied. "I'm sorry I don't remember..."  
  
"Toby Zeigler," he replied with a smile and offering his hand, impressed someone an idea who he was.  
  
"Katherine with a 'K' Darcy," she replied shaking his hand. She dropped her head a little before whispering, "The other man... he was the one who was shot a few years ago wasn't he?"  
  
"Yes," he replied quietly and nodded. "You seem to be a little more advanced in your political knowledge than your fellow students."  
  
"I'm... I'm seventeen. I was away from school a lot last year and so I had to repeat the year," she replied. "I watched a lot of television news while I was home."  
  
"You like CNN?" Toby quizzed. "Shouldn't you be watching stuff that is a bit more... entertaining?"  
  
"Actually I prefer C-Span," she grinned. "And that can be very entertaining."  
  
"And you're better now?" Toby asked. She gave him a puzzled look. "You said you missed a lot of school, I assumed you were sick?"  
  
"No. No, my Mom was killed in a road accident. My Dad didn't handle it very well, and... I have two little brothers. I stayed home and looked after them until my Dad was okay again. So when I came back to school, I'd missed too much so I'm repeating the year."  
  
"I'm sorry about your mother," was all Toby could think of to say.  
  
"That's okay. I just want to finish school and do something she would be proud of," the girl shrugged.  
  
"And you like watching C-Span?" he continued to question.  
  
"My Mom said she didn't go to University and get a degree so she could raise ignorant children," she offered.  
  
"Your mother was a smart woman," Toby nodded.  
  
"Yes she was. She was an editor at the local newspaper. I help out there after school a couple of days a week."  
  
"You're interested in politics?"  
  
"You should learn what they're saying before you complain you don't believe in something," she replied.  
  
"Your Mom again?"  
  
"No, that's what I believe. But well... I guess it might have been from something my Mom or Dad once said."  
  
"You're Dad sounds like a smart man, so are you. Do you know what Presidential classroom is?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Have you ever thought of applying?"  
  
"I don't know if I could go. I know my Dad would say yes, but I don't know if he would be okay with looking after the boys by himself," she replied.  
  
"Well, have a talk to your father and if you decide you'd like to participate, give me a call," Toby replied, taking a card from his wallet and giving it to her. "If you get put through and they tell you I'm not available, just leave your name and a message and I will give you a call back. I can have someone from my office arrange everything."  
  
"You're really nice Mr. Zeigler," she smiled up at him.  
  
"Just don't tell anyone, okay," he grinned.  
  
"We're here," she stated, turning towards the window.  
  
Toby looked up as the bus stopped and realized they were back in town. "It's been lovely talking with you Katherine Darcy. I hope to hear from you soon."  
  
She smiled shyly and nodded.  
  
Suddenly there was an avalanche of mobile phone beeps from the pockets of Toby and Josh and Donna's bag, notifying them of messages waiting.  
  
"Signal range!" cried Josh triumphantly.  
  
The teacher seemed a little taken back by Josh's exuberance. "We couldn't get service on our cell phones earlier and therefore couldn't notify anyone to our predicament," explained Donna as the teacher nodded.  
  
"I'll be back in a minute," stated Toby as they disembarked the bus and he headed towards the school building.  
  
"Don't be too long," instructed Josh. "We'll have to find somewhere to stay tonight."  
  
"We should phone Leo and..." began Donna when they were interrupted by Josh's mobile phone.  
  
"Lyman," he stated as he answered it. "Leo... before you..." he then held the phone back from his ear. Donna smirked, and took the phone from him.  
  
"Leo?" she said sweetly. "Yes hi... Leo, I don't know what they are up to, but Doug and Bruno just left us behind. We were stranded, out of cell phone range and have only now just managed to hitch a lift into town. Yes... yes... definitely, just left us there. Okay... I don't think there is a flight until morning... okay, I'll find us somewhere to stay and get a phone conference hooked up for 6... okay... thanks Leo." She clicked his phone shut and handed it back.  
  
"How do you do that?"  
  
She shrugged and smiled. "We need to get to a hotel, some food and I really could do with a shower."  
  
"We better wait for Toby."  
  
"I think he's probably gone to talk to someone about that young girl he was talking to," Donna replied. "You heard their conversation didn't you?"  
  
"Yeah. Who'd have thought Toby would have a soft side under all that bluster," Josh chuckled.  
  
Donna smiled and thought to herself, if only Josh knew.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hey yourself. How did the conference call go?" Donna asked.  
  
"Good. Toby is talking to Sam at the moment. Leo apparently reamed out Bruno and Doug personally. Thanks for getting dinner sent up for us," he replied sitting down.  
  
"Was the steak to your satisfaction?" she questioned, picking at her salad.  
  
"Yes thank you. You're only just eating now?" he quizzed.  
  
"Well it took awhile to return my calls and then check all your calls, organize the secure line for the conference call, get you and Toby food, reorganize tomorrow's schedule, farm out some research of mine..."  
  
"Okay, I get the picture. I'm guessing there were a couple of calls on my phone from Amy?" he grimaced in preparation.  
  
"Ohhh yeah. I don't think you really want to know, but she wasn't happy and she made mention you'd be going without for awhile."  
  
"Going without wha... Oh... okay."  
  
"Hmm yeah. I don't think you should tell her I was the one who checked your messages."  
  
"No. I don't think I will."  
  
"Toby was very sweet to that girl today," smiled Donna across the table, changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah... just don't let him hear you say that," chuckled Josh.  
  
"You think he misses not having kids?"   
  
"I dunno... maybe. Not something I've ever talked to him about."  
  
"Do you miss that you don't have kids?"  
  
"At the moment, no. I wouldn't have time to be all the things a father is supposed to be for them. But you know, one day I'll have them."  
  
Donna chuckled to herself.  
  
"What's so funny?" he questioned.  
  
"Oh nothing... just trying to picture you and Amy with kids. Especially after her comment."  
  
"She's got a dog. His name is Henry."  
  
"Really? What sort?"  
  
"Oh one of those Bassett looking things. You know, they always look sad."  
  
"Well... he lives with Amy," Donna snorted, and then realized she spoke out loud. "Josh I didn't mean... I'm sorry I shouldn't..."  
  
"Amy says she's not having kids," stated Josh, leaving his sentence hanging there.  
  
"But..."  
  
"Yeah... yeah, I know. But I don't want them at the moment so it doesn't matter."  
  
"You think you can convince her to change her mind then?"  
  
"No."  
  
"So..."  
  
"Donna honestly, I don't need the lecture on the futility of the relationship I'm in at the moment. I'm tired and and..."  
  
"Cranky?"  
  
"Yeah... cranky," he replied giving her a half grin before sighing. "And I just don't feel up to it, okay?"  
  
"Sure Josh. Rain check?" she asked sincerely.  
  
"Oh yeah... 'cause this is a subject I really want to revisit," he sassed.  
  
"I'm just saying... you know, we're supposed to be friends... if you need to talk to someone..."  
  
"What and I'd get an unbiased opinion on Amy from you?" he quizzed.  
  
"Probably not, but is there anyone who would give you an unbiased opinion?" she replied.  
  
"Yeah... I guess. Look, I think I'll turn in," he added as he stood from the table, stealing a couple of fries from her plate as he did. "What room am I in?"  
  
"Twelve. Toby is in room fourteen next to you and I'm in eleven, across the hall. You want any Advil?"  
  
"No, I have my own stash. Thanks anyway."  
  
"Okay, night. See you in the morning."  
  
"Yeah, goodnight."  
  
**  
  
"Hey, 'you going to your room?" Toby asked as they passed in the doorway of the dining area.  
  
"Yeah. I'm feeling a bit..."  
  
"Your leg is troubling you," nodded Toby.  
  
"Um... yeah... how did you..."  
  
"Josh, you've been half limping around since we got off the bus. Donna noticed it and asked if you'd said anything."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Donna still in there?" Toby continued.  
  
"Yeah. Look... this afternoon when you said... no, don't worry about it," added Josh, turning to leave.  
  
"When I said you two should get a room and just do it?" offered Toby.  
  
"Yeah," Josh replied, turning back around. "What did you... why would you say... You know I'm with Amy."  
  
"And your feelings for Donna have lessened since you were ensorcelled by Amy?"  
  
"Toby! I... you can't say something like that. Someone might hear you," Josh hissed.  
  
"Josh no one is within 15 feet of us... and heaven forbid *you* might actually hear for once."  
  
"I'm with Amy, Toby. I'm with someone."  
  
"Oh, and how's that doing these days?"  
  
"Toby."  
  
"Okay... I'll drop it. But don't complain if you wait too long and the train leaves the station and your ticket is no longer valid."  
  
"Toby, statements like that make me wonder whether we should separate you and Sam now. He's starting to rub off on you," chuckled Josh.  
  
"Do you see him in a relationship with a woman he barely likes let alone anything else rather than..."  
  
"Okay, so he's smarter than me. Okay, I get it. But..."  
  
"But you're with Amy."  
  
"Yeah."   
  
"I'm going to get a drink," said Toby.  
  
"Toby... don't say anything to Donna, okay? It's... it's hard enough as it is."  
  
"When the Wicked Witch is caught in an afternoon cloudburst, melts and you are set free from the spell she cast... sort it out with Donna, okay?" instructed Toby.  
  
"I'll have her put it on my schedule."  
  
"Josh... so help me, I'll hurt you myself."  
  
"I know Toby... I know. You're a good friend."  
  
"I need my wingman and if you don't do the job properly, I'll replace you with your assistant," he replied.  
  
"Night Toby."  
  
"Night."  
  
*  
  
  
The end 


End file.
